At the start of this week, our Year 7 pupils put their problem-solving skills to the test with the Squashed Tomato Challenge, a hands-on, real-world activity designed to get them thinking like engineers.
The task was to design, build, test and present a solution for transporting tomatoes safely down a mountainside without them getting squashed.
Working collaboratively in teams, pupils explored creative ideas and practical designs, learning to adapt and improve their concepts along the way. The challenge provided a fantastic opportunity to develop key employability skills such as teamwork, communication and critical thinking.
There was plenty of enthusiasm and a few squashed tomatoes as pupils embraced the challenge. Most importantly, they demonstrated resilience, creativity and ingenuity throughout, all while having great fun.
“We explored diverse ways of transporting crops up and down the mountains productively and came to the conclusion of using a pulley system. We planned and constructed our ideas out of various products we were given and, in the end, evaluated our creations. It went very well and helped with teamwork and knowledge of these situations.” – Jeyceff W
“It was really good because it could help us with our patience and teamwork, and we could also experience trial and error. Overall, this was an amazing experience, and I would love to do this again.” – Isla Slack
“I found the activity useful, as I love engineering, and it helped me adapt to the problems and figure out how to solve them, and it included a lot of teamwork skills. With my group, it was very fun because I learnt a lot about my partners and how they think. I enjoyed it very much and think others would also agree, as these are very useful skills.” – Henry C
“The challenge tested our teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. We worked in groups. Everyone had different ideas, so we had to listen carefully and make decisions together. It was fun, but also challenging at times, learning how important working together is. The activity helped build confidence and friendships. Overall, Smashed Tomatoes was a memorable experience that I really enjoyed.” – Rupert S
“It was so fun. Some activities were challenging, but we didn’t give up. We kept on going and did a good job delivering our final product. When we were originally designing our prototype, it kept falling apart, but one of my team members suggested a really good solution to the issue. And it solved the problem.” – Madeline J
“It was interesting, and it made me learn more about how to work through problems whilst trying to go with the best solution, even if it is not the one most people want to go with. It was fun and I really enjoyed it!” – Lola A
